Runner devices of ropeway gondolas



Jan. 8, 1963 TAKEO NOJlMA 3,072,075

RUNNER DEVICES OF ROPEWAY GONDOLAS Filed July 31, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1FIG Arry if.

Jan. 8, 1963 TAKEO NOJIMA 3,072,075

RUNNER DEVICES OF ROPEWAY GONDOLAS Filed July 31, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR. 74([0 A OJ/MA g ii wm Arryi United States Patent Ofiiice3,972,975 Patented .llan. 8, 1963 3,072,075 RUNNER DEVICES F ROPEWAYGGNDGLAS Takeo Nojima, 542 Kosngi-cho l-cliorne, Kawasaki City, KanagawaPrefecture, Japan Filed .l'uly 31, 1961, Ser. No. 128,133 Claimspriority, application Japan Dec. 22, 196i 3 Claims. (Cl. 1tl5--15tl)This invention relates to ropeway gondolas, and more particularly torunner devices of ropeway gondolas.

An object of the present invention is the provide runner devices of thekind specified which will not get out of ropeway cables even underabnormal oscillating or bouncing movements that might be caused bystrong wind or some other forces.

Another object of the present invention is to provide runner devices ofthe kind specified having least frictional resistance in their rotatingparts.

There are other objects and particularlities of the present invention,which will be made obvious from the following detailed description of apreferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a general side view of a ropeway gondola embodying theinvention;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the runner device shown in FIG. 1, with theropeway cable shown in cross-section; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of a roller formingpart of the runner device shown in FIG. 2. Referring to FIG. 1, aropeway gondola 1 is provided with a conventional hanger 2 having anL-bent arm at the upper end. A mounting plate 3 is secured to the arm. Aplurality of rollers 4 are carried by the mounting plate 3 with theirbases secured to the underside of the plate. The rollers are dividedinto a least two sets, each set consisting of two or more rollers. InFIG. 1, there are provided two sets, and each set consists of tworollers oriented in opposite senses as shown in FIG. 2. When each setconsists of three or more rollers, alternate rollers are to be orientedin opposite senses. Thus, each set of rollers rides on the ropeway cable22. The rollers in each set substantially embrace the cable fromopposite sides.

Each roller is constructed as shown in FIG. 3. It comprises a tubularbase 5 of substantially triangular longitudinal cross section. The baseis provided with a slanted bottom wall 51 having a tubular sleeve 6formed integral and extending downward in the direction perpendicular tothe plane of bottom wall 51.

A roller wheel 7 has a specific sectional configuration consisting of adownwardly flaring upper portion and a downwardly convergent and concavelower portion 13. The wheel 7 has a central bore whose upper portion isparticularly enlarged and provides and annular shoulder 10 on which anannular lower race member 11 fits and is secured thereto for bearing acircular series of substantially ellipsoidal balls 12. The upper racemember 111 for balls 12 encircles the sleeves 6 and is secured to thebase 5. The bore of wheel 7 may be filled with suitable lubricant.

The top circumferential face of the Wheel 7 is formed with an annularrecess 8 in which a plurality of springs are received to urge an annularsealing ring 9 against the peripheral face of the base 5.

In order to hold the wheel 7 in position and also to prevent lateraldeflection of the wheel, an auxiliary ball bearing device is providedwhich consists of an upper annular race 14, a lower annular race 17 anda circular series of spherical balls 18, disposed therebetween. Thelower race 17 is secured to the base sleeve 6 by means of a bolt 15passing through the bore of sleeve 6. The bolt 15 has an enlarged head16 for holding the race 17 against the end periphery of sleeve 6 andcooperates with a nut 19 to be fastened to base 5. The external diameterof lower race 17 is substantially larger than the inner diameter ofupper race 14. Thus, the wheel 7 is positively held against the base 5,and is unable to deflect laterally.

The lower end of wheel 7 is closed by a bottom plate 20 which is securedto the lower portion 13 of wheel 7 by means of a plurality of screwbolts 21. The peripheral edge portion of bottom plate 20 extends beyondthe lower end periphery of wheel 7 and is chamfered to provide an upperconcave peripheral face substantially in continuation with the concaveperipheral face of the lower portion 13 of wheel 7. Thus, the lowerportion 13 of wheel 7 rides on the cable 22, while the bottom plate 2%)embraces the cable from underside. The plate periphery may, whennecessary, engage that portion of surface of cable 22 which is below thehorizontal central plane of cable 22.

As is clearly shown in FIG. 2, two adjacent rollers 4 ride on the cable22 with their wheels 7 axially oriented in mutually perpendiculardirections and their bottom plates 20 positioned to engage the cablefrom opposite undersides. Thus, in effect, the set of two rollers 4cmbraces the cable 22, and a runner device is provided which cannot getout of the cable 22.

The peculiar construction of roller wheel 7 affords minimum frictionbetween relatively rotating parts, and positively prevents the runningdevice from getting oif of the cable 22.

I claim:

1. A runner device of a ropeway gondola running on a cable, comprising ahanger arm for movably hanging said gondola from said cable, a mountingmember secured to said hanger arm and positioned directly above saidcable, and multiple sets of rollers, each set consisting of at least tworollers, and each roller comprising a base secured to said mountingmember and having a tubular sleeve extending downwardly from said basein a direction inclined with respect to said member, a hollow rollerwheel having a concave peripheral surface for engaging said cable fromabove, ball bearing means associated with said sleeve and said rollerwheel for rotatably holding said roller wheel against said base, and aplate secured to said roller wheel for engaging said cable at itssurface portion that lies below a horizontal plane including the axialcentre line of said cable, two adjacent roller wheels of the two rollersbeing axially oriented in different directions on the cable.

2. The runner device according to claim 1, in which said ball bearingmeans comprises a first pair of annular races, one of said races beingsecured to said base while the other race is secured concentrically tosaid roller wheel, a circular series of substantially ellipsoidal ballsdisposed between said races, a second pair of annular races, one race ofthe second pair being secured to said sleeve at one end thereof, whilethe other race of the second pair is secured to said roller wheelconcentrically therewith, a circular series of spherical balls disposedbetween the races of said second pair, said one race of said second pairhaving an external diameter larger than the internal diameter of theother race of said second pair.

3. The running device according to claim 1, in which the plate securedto the roller wheel is located at and closes a lower end of said wheel,said plate having a peripheral portion extending beyond the lower end ofsaid wheel and being chamfered to provide a concave peripheral surfacefor engaging said cable.

Kron-Holm June 7, 1960 Nojima Apr. 11, 1961

1. A RUNNER DEVICE OF A ROPEWAY GONDOLA RUNNING ON A CABLE, COMPRISING AHANGER ARM FOR MOVABLY HANGING SAID GONDOLA FROM SAID CABLE, A MOUNTINGMEMBER SECURED TO SAID HANGER ARM AND POSITIONED DIRECTLY ABOVE SAIDCABLE, AND MULTIPLE SETS OF ROLLERS, EACH SET CONSISTING OF AT LEAST TWOROLLERS, AND EACH ROLLER COMPRISING A BASE SECURED TO SAID MOUNTINGMEMBER AND HAVING A TUBULAR SLEEVE EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID BASEIN A DIRECTION INCLINED WITH RESPECT TO SAID MEMBER, A HOLLOW ROLLERWHEEL HAVING A CONCAVE PERIPHERAL SURFACE FOR ENGAGING SAID CABLE FROMABOVE, BALL BEARING MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH SAID SLEEVE AND SAID ROLLERWHEEL FOR ROTATABLY HOLDING SAID ROLLER WHEEL AGAINST SAID BASE, AND A